Police officer charged over ‘accidental’ killing of truck driver

A police officer in Naypyidaw was arrested and charged with homicide on Sunday over what he says was the accidental shooting and killing of a truck driver who was allegedly carrying illegal charcoal.

When a police patrol stopped the truck that day, the driver fled, and one officer opened fire in his direction.

“Police sub-inspector Aung Naing Tun and two policemen stopped a six-wheeled truck, and found illegal charcoal sacks on it. The truck driver tried to escape on foot, and the police sub-inspector jumped on the truck while pointing his gun at the driver. A bullet was misfired from his gun and accidentally hit the driver,” Bayakone Township police chief Tin Htay told Eleven.

The bullet reportedly struck the truck driver in the head. Police sub-inspector Aung Naing Tun has been charged under sections 304 and 304(a) of Myanmar’s penal code, which outlaw homicide and causing death by negligence.

Two other police officers were with Aung Naing Tun at the time of the shooting, but they were not arrested. Police Captain Tin Htay said: “We only arrested the police sub-inspector that had used lethal force. He seems to have overused his authority.”